Major fire engulfs historic Debenhams building on Edinburgh's Princes Street

· Environment GBR

A significant blaze broke out early Thursday at the historic former Debenhams building on Princes Street in central Edinburgh, prompting a large-scale emergency response. No injuries have been reported.

Emergency services were called to the scene at approximately 2:50 AM, and by mid-morning the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service had deployed seven fire engines and three specialist appliances to tackle the flames. Authorities confirmed the incident remained ongoing as crews worked to bring the fire under control.

The blaze caused disruption to tram services, with vehicles running a reduced route between Edinburgh Airport and the West End only. Ticket acceptance arrangements were put in place with ScotRail and Lothian Buses to accommodate affected passengers.